n

n

n

nFeng Xingshen stared at his phone. Although he recognized the individual words, he felt that he did not know what it meant when they were strung together.

nHe was in a daze for too long and his heavy spectacles slid down onto his nose. He used a finger to push his spectacles back in place and narrowed his eyes at the phone.

nAs he was in his sixties, the wrinkles on his face were obvious. His fingers trembled as he deleted the message that he had typed. He then replied: “Are you kidding?”

n

n

nHow could an 18-year-old young lady prove Bartra’s theory?

nLearning: “?”

nLearning: “What’s your email address?”

nFeng Xingshen collected himself and sent her his email address. He put down the phone and waited in silence.

n

n

nNo hurry, no hurry.

nAll these years, there had been many times when people claimed to have proven Bartra’s theory, but after announcing their proofs, mistakes and loopholes were found. The young lady might not have proven it after all.

nDing! He took a deep breath, and about five minutes later, his computer’s mailbox notified him of a new message and his phone lit up as well.

nLearning: “I’ve sent it. Have you received it?”

n

n

nFeng Xingshen replied indignantly: “Do you have any idea what you’re trying to prove?”

nPerhaps she did not understand the significance of this theory in the mathematical world.

nLearning: “Bartra’s theory. The topic is slightly challenging. When you asked me, I’ve already been working on it for half a month. I spent nearly 20 days, including this week.”

nFeng Xingshen: “??”

nWhy do I sense the tone of ‘I actually spent 20 days to prove this’ from the young lady’s message?

nDoes she know that some people spent an entire lifetime and still could not prove it?!

n

n

nFeng Xingshen no longer harbored any hope for this theory. He responded: “Yes, I’ll take a look first.”

nAfter replying, he downloaded the thirty-plus pages of drafts from his mailbox. He printed every piece, filed them accordingly, and started reading from the first page.

nOnce he started reading, he could not stop.

n…

nXue Xi waited for some time and realized that Teaches Math still had not replied to her. Taking a look at the time, she noticed that the class would only end in ten minutes so she took out a set of Math Olympiad questions and began doing them.

nFan Han, who was also in the same class, stared at her back.

nDuring this period, he searched numerous information relating to Bartra and realized that she was actually proving this difficult theory.

nNow it seems like she has given up?

n

n

nThe class ended ten minutes later.

nFan Han packed up his books and stood by her side before advising her earnestly, “Bartra’s theory isn’t something that people our age should deal with. We shouldn’t reach for what is beyond one’s grasp, so it’s better that you stay down to earth and prepare for the National Mathematical Olympiad!”

nXue Xi shot him an aloof glance and kept silent.

nFan Han thought that his words sank in so he continued to explain, “The competition this time around is to be held at the national level and you should not belittle others. Do you know about the winner of last year’s Math Star Competition? He scored 270 marks, and most importantly, he was in his sophomore year last year! Furthermore, he won the first prize of the National Mathematical Olympiad last year, and if it weren’t for his poor health, he would have attended the winter camp and probably been accepted by Huazhong University. He is Li Xuekai from our province. Also, don’t belittle Sun Jie. Although he didn’t perform as well as you during the Math Star Competition, it doesn’t mean that he will do worse than you in the National Mathematical Olympiad.”

nXue Xi found him irritating, so she hastily packed up her books and walked outside.

nFan Han followed behind her and wanted to continue nagging, but Xue Yao, who had just left the Physics class, caught up with him hurriedly. “Fan Han!”

nFan Han paused in his steps. Xue Xi was already downstairs and far away.

nHe then turned to look at Xue Yao and had a guilty conscience over his actions earlier. Therefore, he tried to show that he was caring for her and asked, “I heard that Mr. Zhou went to your house for an assessment during the weekend. Given your skills, you should have successfully become his apprentice, right?”

nXue Yao: “…”

nHer face froze, and moments later, she dipped her head and smiled. “No.”

nFan Han froze. “How can it be? Everyone said that Zhou Zhou accepted a new apprentice! If it isn’t you, could it be Xue Xi…”

nXue Yao shook her head. “No, it’s Xia Yiyi. I pitied her. She neither has been to school nor has any friends, so I gave her the chance.”

nFan Han paused and followed Xue Yao into the classroom as he heaved a sigh of relief. “I knew it. Xue Xi grew up in an orphanage, so why will she know how to play the piano…”

n

n

nUpon hearing this, Xue Yao gripped her physics papers. She did not tell the complete story, but she would just let Fan Han be mistaken.

nWhen they arrived in the classroom, they realized that most of their classmates were still around.

nXue Yao and Fan Han were slightly taken aback.

nSomeone took a phone and asked, “Fan Han, who do you think will be the winner of the National Mathematical Olympiad this time around? Li Xuekai has the highest votes now and is followed by someone from another province. Sun Jie is third while Xue Xi is fourth! Do you think that Xue Xi has the chance to be the winner?”

nNational winner…

nThese words made Xue Yao’s pupils constrict. She sneered. “It isn’t easy to be the national winner! It has only been some time since Xue Xi started undergoing systematic training. Fan Han, what do you think?”

nThe moment she said it, she saw Fan Han in a trance.

nOnly a short while ago, the class would always discuss whether I could get the province’s first prize when it came to math competitions. However, currently, it has already elevated to the scale of the national winner?

nHe subconsciously turned his head and looked at the girl in the last row.

nShe stiffly placed her books in her school bag and left with her heavy bag…

nHe retracted his gaze and answered, “I think it’ll be tough.”

nThe competition would select first prize awardees to participate in the National Mathematical Olympiad. Other than the winner, the rest are merely first prize awardees. What was the difference?

nSince Xue Xi had returned home, had dinner, and finished several questions, she had been looking at her phone while lying on her bed.

nWhy isn’t Teaches Math replying to my message?

nIn the capital.

nIn Huaxia University’s math laboratory.

nA postgraduate was conducting the last checks and realized that the lights in the room of his mentor, Feng Xingshen, were still on.

nHe instinctively walked there. As he was going to turn off the lights, he saw Mentor Feng holding his spectacles in one hand and squinting at the paper.

nHis hands were trembling as though he was in ecstasy.

nThe postgraduate paused and asked, “Teacher, why aren’t you going home yet?”

nIt was almost twelve midnight, and today’s problem did not seem to require him to burn the midnight lamp.

nUpon being interrupted, Feng Xingshen returned to reality.

nHe stared at the answer in disbelief. He jumped. “Correct, it’s correct!”

nShe truly solved a world-class problem!

n